nfreeman

From Eric Duhatschek in the Athletic: https://theathletic.com/2143240/2020/10/16/duhatschek-vegas-hits-alex-pietrangelo-jackpot-oel-sweepstakes-and-more/

This could be true, but we really have no way of knowing, innit? I.e. certainly Hammy could've witnessed, over the years, Reino demonstrating a bad attitude in ways having nothing to do with his interactions with Hammy.

I'm not a big fan of Hammy's, but certainly he has spent a lot of time around the team over the years. There are a number of moving pieces in the Reino contract situation, including his upcoming arbitration, the possibility that the Sabres will want to maintain flexibility and cap space in order to be able to sign Hall to an extension if both sides want to do so and a new GM. KA has said a number of times lately that they want players who want to be here -- I wonder whether he gets that impression from Reino. OTOH, RK probably likes Reino, as he was 2nd among forwards in ice time and stapled to Jack's line. We'll learn more as we get closer to the arbitration hearing.

The bolded is something that we shouldn't gloss over while we're planning the parade. When asked about his struggles in AZ (either in Hall's post-signing presser or on the Instigators), the first thing Hall brought up was his injury. He clearly felt that it held him back last year. Hall won the MVP in NJ in 2017-8, then played only 33 games in 2018-9 due to knee issues that the docs had trouble diagnosing. He had knee surgery in Feb 2019, in which loose fragments were found and removed. He then started the 2019-20 season in NJ and was traded to AZ at the deadline. Further info here: https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nhl/2019/04/08/cause-of-taylor-halls-knee-injury-evaded-doctors-for-months/39318885/ We'll see.

I'm kinda expecting the next move to be picks/prospects to AZ for a goalie.

It just seems much more likely that he starts in Rochester. If he kills it down there, by all means, bring him up and give him a shot with Eakin and Cozens on the 3rd line.

I do not love Reinhart, although I like him well enough, but after watching the Flames in the playoffs I probably wouldn't trade him for Monahan. I was really unimpressed with Monahan. He had zero intensity to his game and it was way too easy for the opponent to clear the zone when his line was on. I would trade Reino for Gaudreau though.

Well, the wheels sure fell off. They got spanked in every phase of the game and they completely lost their composure. JA was bad and so were pretty much all of his teammates.

Interesting. Hutton and Rittich both have 1 year left at $2.75MM. Rittich is probably better than Hutton, but he's clearly a notch below MAF and the AZ goalies. Gaudreau has 2 years left at $6.75MM. So maybe Reino and Hutton for Gaudreau and Rittich? I could see the Sabres doing that deal. Gaudreau is better, faster and more productive than Reino, and there are a number of reasons -- primarily a desire to retain the flexibility to sign Hall to an extension -- that the Sabres might not want to give Reino a long-term extension. I could also see Risto or Montour as the primary Sabres asset going to Calgary, but this seems less likely, as Montour is only under contract for 1 more year and isn't as good an asset as Reino is. The Sabres would need to include some sweeteners -- maybe Borgen and Mittlestadt?

This is fair and others have noted this too. I am certainly open to someone else taking that spot from VO, although I do think he can excel there.

Yes -- if they keep Hall next Summer, they trade Reino, perhaps to Seattle. If not, they've got Reino under contract for another year and perhaps extend him at that point. In the meantime, a 2-year deal gives Reino more security than a 1-year deal.

I think Reino is going to get a 1-year or 2-year deal. I think they want a situation where they can extend Hall if both sides want to do so, and a fat contract for Reino would likely preclude them from doing so.

JB has zero cause to be steamed. I am highly confident TP authorized him to bring in any FA he wanted. He just couldn't execute, on decisions big or small.

Hall and Jack are both fast, powerful, pass-first guys who can also score a lot of goals. They will set each other up and complement each other beautifully. Meanwhile, VO, also fast, is much less able a playmaker than the other 2, but might be a better finisher. The mind reels.

BTW, Staal is another party whose spirits about the Sabres might've been flagging but who is undoubtedly more excited about this team after the Hall signing.

OK, but a good goalie on a 2-year deal will cost something, and I'd rather give up next year's #2 than, say, Borgen or Mittlestadt.

Well, I can't speak for others on this but I am interpreting statements by Hall, KA and RK as pretty consistently indicating that the plan is for Hall to be on Jack's wing.

I agree on targeting AZ, but I'd rather have Risto than Gogo. And if AZ is dumping a goalie, they want more than $1MM in cap space. I think they want picks/prospects. Next year's #2 for Kuemper maybe?

Well, I just listened to Hall's presser. Great stuff, and highly recommended. He's honest, articulate, earnest and is very psyched to be here. I think he's going to put up a big year and then re-sign here. And then we'll have a better combo on our top line than Matthews and Marner for the next 5 years.

I agree with most of this, but I also think Skinner wants to play with Eichel and was PO'd about not doing so last year, and some frustration with that and with crappy linemates crept into his play. I'd guess that he was hoping to play there this coming season. However, I think that if Staal is up to the task -- and there is a good chance he is -- Skinner-Staal-Reino could be a terrific 2nd line, and I think Skinner would buy in, play hard and score a ton of goals again. Good call here. A bit miffed, maybe, but not at Hall. As noted upthread he'll probably take it as a challenge and turn up his game.

Maybe. I don't think the Sabres will get much beyond, say, a 2nd and a 3rd, which will be selling Montour low. I will get over my disappointment pretty quickly though when I start thinking about the playoffs, which I think will be there for the taking with a MAF/Linus combo in net. EDIT: the problem though is that taking Montour and Hutton means that Vegas doesn't get much cap relief, which is their reason for trading MAF to begin with.

Toffoli is a good player, and I would've been happy with him at that contract if Hall had signed elsewhere, but I greatly prefer Hall on the one-year deal to 4 years of Toffoli. Hall is more explosive and productive. Hall also increases team speed, while Toffoli would've decreased it -- and there are already 2 slowpokes in the top 6 in Staal and Reino. Most importantly, signing Hall sends a huge message to Eichel, the rest of the team and the rest of the NHL that the Sabres are not giving up and resigning themselves to Mickey Mouse franchise status. Interesting. You could be right about this.

So...do we think in the 1st tweet he meant to say "was fantastic" instead of "wasn't fantastic?" Otherwise it doesn't make much sense. Wow. So he was ready for a long-term deal and the Sabres got him to take a 1-year deal? That is some great salesmanship by KA, RK and TP/KP.

That's pretty interesting and will likely factor into Reino's thinking and perhaps Hall's as well.

Awesome.